Sapelo Island - Cabretta Pioneer Camping Trip

Come join us for some pioneer camping on Cabretta Island on the western perimeter of Sapelo Island. If you've never been there before, it's a nice open flat campsite nestled among the live oaks with hanging spanish moss. In one direction you have the savannah, and in the other, after a short walk down a sandy road, through more live oaks, and over the dunes, the Atlantic Ocean. On this beach you will find no development. Just sand dunes, ocean and ocassional dophin sightings, with a few shrimp boats offshore coasting by sometimes. Since it faces east, you get some great sunrises over the ocean. And since it's the low country, you can even enjoy the sunsets, if you're in the right position, like out in the ocean, or overlooking the savanah on the west side of our special little protected estuary.

It's a 7 mile or 22 minute ferry ride from the mainland to the dock, where we'll unload our gear from the boat, on to their shuttle vehicle. Then they'll drive us to campsite. You guessed it, that means you'll be able to bring coolers, and car camping gear like the larger stoves. Below I'll include a gear list of things you can bring.

The campsite has several individual private bathrooms with hot/cold showers and flush toilets, cold showers outside to rinse off the sand and salt. They have a few Adirondack shelters we typically use for storage, but can be used for sleeping, although I recommend bringing a tent or hammock. They have plenty of picnic tables, a fire ring, and safe drinking water. They also now have a dining pavilion. And it's all ours! We'll be the only group staying at this campsite. They do have camp hosts now, which is a state regulation, but they say it remains very private for our use.

The Atlantic here is rich with life, including the highest concentration of zooplankton I've personally ever witnessed, making those night swims glow in a light green fluorescence. It's a spectacalur light show, especially on those moonless nights. And there won't be much of a moon on this trip...about 30% waxing on the 2nd night getting ready to set around the time we'll be night swimming.

You can not bring lights down to the beach at night due to the park rules, which protect the loggerhead turtle. I recommend a headlamp with a red light, used as a beacon, so you can find your way back to the path after a nice long swim at night.

What else can you do you ask? If you're a fisherman...fish. If you're a crabber, bring your nets and crab. If you're a beach bum, bring your beach umbrella and be a beach bum. If you like to read, bring a book and read in your hammock in the shade of the live oaks. If you're a swimmer, swim. If you like to hike, you can hike for miles on the beach with nobody to tell you where to stop. But if you decide to cross the channel at low tide, make sure you come back right away, because those rip tides are very strong.

CAMPING GEAR/FERRY BOAT REGULATIONS:

Where at all possible, pack loose items into closed containers. A good example is the plastic snap top tubs available at local discount stores. This includes cooking utensils, bedrolls, and tarps.

Do NOT bring folding tables or chairs. (Although I bring my backpacking chair packed within my pack for the beach).

Fishing gear, most especially rods and reels, should be broken down and tightly wrapped with no hooks or lures loose or exposed.

Tents should be tightly wrapped and secured with no loose lines or ropes.

Tent poles should be tightly wrapped and secured so as to not become loose while on the ferry.

Do not bring loose items on to the ferry that may easily get mixed in with other freight. If your things are properly packed, your gear can be stacked together, greatly saving rear deck space.

The ferry leaves promptly on Thursday, June 13, 2013 on the 5:30pm ferry. You'll need to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to that to allow time to pay the $15.00 (cash or check only) ferry fee, load your luggage, and park your vehicle.

It typically takes me about 4.5 hours to get to the Visitors Center from Atlanta, but I don't like to stress out, so I give it more time than that, and walk around the dock, smell the savannah air, listen to the sea gulls, and relax a bit, so the loading/registration etc is just the beginning of a relaxing time on the island. The visitor center itself has a lot of useful information that you may find interesting as well.

Since we'll arrive on Sapelo close to 6pm, then loading and shuttling to our little private Cabretta island, unloading, and setting up camp, I wouldn't suggest relying on a lengthy process of preparing a meal. I would assume you'd want to have something to eat prior to arriving at the dock, and perhaps having a snack on that first evening at camp, with your choice of beverage. It could be close to 8pm by the time we're actually starting to relax more.

The departure ferry is on Sunday, June 16 @4pm. So just after lunch on Sunday, we'll break camp, and get everything packed up as it was, loaded on to our cart to be hauled back to the ferry. I would expect the shuttle to arrive no later than 2:45pm, so we'll want everything completed by then.

Wikipedia info here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapelo_Island

Take 75 South to I-16 East.  Travel on I-16 to I-95 South
Take I-95 South to Exit 58 - Eulonia, Ga.
After exiting, turn left onto GA Hwy 99 and drive approximately one mile to the Hwy 99 and 17 intersection and 4-Way stop
Cross Hwy 17 through the four-way stop and continue on GA 99
Drive approximately 9.25 miles to Meridian, GA
You will see brown signs pointing to Sapelo Island placed along the route
The last brown Sapelo sign will point for you to turn left 
There is also a large rectangular sign with blue lettering for the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve (SINERR) next to Elm Grove Baptist Church.
Turn left at the sign onto Landing Road
Landings Road will make a sharp right turn and take you over a small bridge.
Park in the visitors lot, unpack your car and walk down to the ferry for check-in and boarding
(You may also drive down to the ferry to unload and then return to the lot to park your car.)

Camping fee for 3 nights on Cabretta Island. We are going to allow a maximum of 20 people, and that is what the cost is based upon.

Additional Payment Information:  Payment in full is due 14 days after you signup or by May 20, 2013, whichever comes first.   You will be moved to the waiting list if you fail to meet this deadline. 

Payment may be made via PayPal, PC Banking or Check. It is your responsibility to get the deposit payment and/or balance payment to the AOC by the due dates. Allow two days processing for PayPal and PC Banking and one week to mail a check.

Cost does NOT include the ferry fee, paid separately at the Visitors Center, which is $15.00 (cash or check only) per person, because they only accept cash or check at the Visitors Center. Make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the ferry departure for loading your gear.

If you cancel on or before May 20, 2013, full payment will be refunded less a $5 administrative fee. This trip requires a minimum number of participants. Therefore, there will be no refunds for cancellations after May 20, unless someone (approved by the trip leaders) replaces you from the wait list and pays in full. If you are replaced, you will receive a full refund less a $5 administrative fee. There is no partial payment for partial attendance.